Residential Whole House Surge Protection

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infinity

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Location
New Jersey
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Journeyman Electrician
Does anyone have an opinion as to what kind of whole house surge protector they would install? My neighbor just had the digital display in his refrigerator blow out and he's convinced it was caused by a surge. Rather than install a SP behind the frig he's looking for a whole house version. I need some opinions as to what would be best suited for this situation.
 
I believe that the cutler hammer whole house surge suppressor and the sycom surge arrestor (both whole house) are pretty compariable, But I prefer cutler hammer. Mainly because it has the better warrenty. The sycom from talking to both product reps Seems to be a liittle better. Also the surge arrestor can be put almost anywhere.
 

Speedskater

Senior Member
Location
Cleveland, Ohio
Occupation
retired broadcast, audio and industrial R&D engineering
I just looked at the Delta web-page. They have installation instructions that look strange. First it looks like you just lay the surge suppressor in the bottom of the cabinet, second you wire it to a breaker that is already in use (you add a second wire to the terminal).
 

infinity

Moderator
Staff member
Location
New Jersey
Occupation
Journeyman Electrician
I just looked at the Delta web-page. They have installation instructions that look strange. First it looks like you just lay the surge suppressor in the bottom of the cabinet, second you wire it to a breaker that is already in use (you add a second wire to the terminal).

I noticed that too. Maybe 480 can comment.
 

Ragin Cajun

Senior Member
Location
Upstate S.C.
I have personally used the units from Surge Suppression Inc. in Destin, Fla. I have them on my structures.

They are not cheap, but you get a quality product that really works. I have witnessed tests on them compared to other brands.

www.surgesuppression.com is their web site. They have a model for everything you need.

RC
 

LarryFine

Master Electrician Electric Contractor Richmond VA
Location
Henrico County, VA
Occupation
Electrical Contractor
It snowed today.
CJ033.jpg
 

al hildenbrand

Senior Member
Location
Minnesota
Occupation
Electrical Contractor, Electrical Consultant, Electrical Engineer
I don't so much worry about the make of the surge protective devices, as I do about layering the protection. All of these are sacrificial devices when the joule rating is exceeded.

I like a robust unit at the service entrance, another at any subpanels, and then, for sensitive equipment that I place a value on, a point of connection surge protector, usually a device that the equipment plugs into.

That's the minimum. For the digital controls and display of a refrigerator, that's probably what most individuals will pay for as insurance.

If the "intangible" value that I place on the continued running of a piece of equipment is really high, then I'll weight that value against the cost of some form of a backup power supply.

So I place an UPS, after an SPD at the service, and after an SPD at the receptacle outlet, on my computer.

Others might choose the microwave (for the morning coffee) or the garage door opener, or whatever.

The higher the joule rating, the better, for the whole house SPD. But it clamps fairly high, so, another, lower joule, lower clamping voltage, higher speed SPD is desirable right at the equipment to be protected.

IMO.
 

Dnkldorf

Senior Member
Other than helping to dispurse a lightning strike, I have no idea what a ground rod(s) do(es) for the performance of an electrical system.
 
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